Christmas 2005 - 1
Wow, what a Christmas! The word frenetic seems to be what one would get if the words frantic and frenzied were blended together. The good side of this resultant word describes our two-day holiday season.
The hectic, distraught and distracted parts of the word’s definition began back on the 10th of December when “Papa” – my father-in-law – had a serious heart attack as well as a stroke. There seemed to be a large degree of doubt among the medical personnel whether he would live until the next morning. But live he did and was placed in CCU for several days.
After about three days he did well enough to be placed in a modified regular room. At this time family members or friends started staying with him 24/7. On Monday, the 19th of December, he was moved to a rehab/nursing facility in Aiken, S. C. – about 15 miles away. And as of yesterday seems to be making very good progress and possibly to be coming home in a few weeks.
All the visits to one medical facility or another very much complicated a season that was normally pretty hectic anyway. Our Christmas started its culmination on Saturday – Christmas Eve – with Papa’s family gathering at his home away from home to be with him a while and share a bit of cheerfulness. He still has difficulty swallowing, so we didn’t bring food, but we brought a karaoke machine, sang some carols and gave him some gifts. He appreciated the visit and efforts, but tired quickly and we got him back to his room and departed.
The whole clan met back at our house for an early Christmas meal together. It has become a tradition with this family group to have one of my wife’s specialties, chicken crescent dinner rolls as the center piece of the meal. This is made by rolling up cooked chicken pieces in the dough, over-pouring it with a mixture of cream of chicken soup, canned milk and grated cheese and baking it with additional cheese sprinkled on top.
This was augmented by a squash casserole, sweet potato soufflé and various other veggies and desserts. Among the desserts was some cookies baked by one of my nieces that came from a recipe that was said to be valued at 1200 dollars – no, I don’t know by whom. I had “rescued” a few of them to be consumed at a later date and it would appear that is today – I was so impressed with the memory of them that I am munching on one of the last ones now.
Everyone departed later and we made an effort to straighten up a bit and the ladies went across the street to the in-law’s house to watch a movie together. Yours truly stayed home to assemble a large toy that required “some assembly”. This was a large pneumatic-tired tricycle with attached trailer, somewhat unique in my memory. Got this assembled and stored out of view and it became time for the wife and I to baby-sit for the daughter and son-in-law to attend midnight mass, and as most of you know this starts at midnight.
To be continued. Ec
The hectic, distraught and distracted parts of the word’s definition began back on the 10th of December when “Papa” – my father-in-law – had a serious heart attack as well as a stroke. There seemed to be a large degree of doubt among the medical personnel whether he would live until the next morning. But live he did and was placed in CCU for several days.
After about three days he did well enough to be placed in a modified regular room. At this time family members or friends started staying with him 24/7. On Monday, the 19th of December, he was moved to a rehab/nursing facility in Aiken, S. C. – about 15 miles away. And as of yesterday seems to be making very good progress and possibly to be coming home in a few weeks.
All the visits to one medical facility or another very much complicated a season that was normally pretty hectic anyway. Our Christmas started its culmination on Saturday – Christmas Eve – with Papa’s family gathering at his home away from home to be with him a while and share a bit of cheerfulness. He still has difficulty swallowing, so we didn’t bring food, but we brought a karaoke machine, sang some carols and gave him some gifts. He appreciated the visit and efforts, but tired quickly and we got him back to his room and departed.
The whole clan met back at our house for an early Christmas meal together. It has become a tradition with this family group to have one of my wife’s specialties, chicken crescent dinner rolls as the center piece of the meal. This is made by rolling up cooked chicken pieces in the dough, over-pouring it with a mixture of cream of chicken soup, canned milk and grated cheese and baking it with additional cheese sprinkled on top.
This was augmented by a squash casserole, sweet potato soufflé and various other veggies and desserts. Among the desserts was some cookies baked by one of my nieces that came from a recipe that was said to be valued at 1200 dollars – no, I don’t know by whom. I had “rescued” a few of them to be consumed at a later date and it would appear that is today – I was so impressed with the memory of them that I am munching on one of the last ones now.
Everyone departed later and we made an effort to straighten up a bit and the ladies went across the street to the in-law’s house to watch a movie together. Yours truly stayed home to assemble a large toy that required “some assembly”. This was a large pneumatic-tired tricycle with attached trailer, somewhat unique in my memory. Got this assembled and stored out of view and it became time for the wife and I to baby-sit for the daughter and son-in-law to attend midnight mass, and as most of you know this starts at midnight.
To be continued. Ec
posted by mreddie | 12:16 PM
4 Comments:
You've had a lot to deal with through this time. I'm glad you are sailing through it so well, and taking time to assemble a toy...you are blessed to have such a nice family, and I know you will remember these times.
bonita - The memories, whatever their flavor, are held tight and are a part of us and our family. Thanks. ec
So glad to know your Christmas was blessed. :-)
jayleigh - Thanks and I hope yours was as well. ec
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